Sophisticated enough for a Sunday supper yet quick enough for Wednesday's dinner, this master recipe is all in the technique. Cook the thighs skin side down in a cast-iron skillet to render out the fat and make the skin as crisp and, dare we say, delicious as bacon.

Ingredients

6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1/4 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Recipe Preparation

Preheat oven to 475°. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12" cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Nestle chicken in skillet, skin side down, and cook 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high; continue cooking skin side down, occasionally rearranging chicken thighs and rotating pan to evenly distribute heat, until fat renders and skin is golden brown, about 12 minutes.

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Reviews

We've made it twice. Super easy, quick, and delicious. Will definitely make it again. I had no problems with splattering.

kelliq81Jonesboro, AR01/11/19

So utterly delicious. Crispy as anything...I degreased the pan between stove and oven, as some suggested, and had no problems with spattering. Added a sprinkling of zahtar in addition to salt and pepper. Divine.

KirileiBrooklyn, NY01/09/19

Whoa, those cooking times and temps are both way too high. I did 2 minutes over medium heat, then reduced to medium-low and the skin was already blackening 7 minutes in. Flipped them early then transferred to oven, which I’ve now reduced to 400. Hopefully, I’ve salvaged it, but these instructions are way off.

JescowaWashington DC01/04/19

Terrific recipe in a cast iron skillet. I also have a heavy non-stick skillet in which I've cooked this recipe -- equally good. For the record, I always use a splatter screen.

AnonymousTexas09/19/18

Hands down, the best chicken recipe I know. The skin gets PERFECTLY crispy.
I use a skillet with tall sides and a mesh splatter guard, works great to keep it from going everywhere. They’re like $10 for a three piece set, and everyone should own one!

fakeradishesBaltimore09/17/18

I've got two questions re: this recipe.
1) why does it show an image for a different recipe? (there are lemons in the image, I'd like to use them)
2) how is your chicken not black after 12 minutes on medium-high heat?

AndruCCanada08/21/18

This is a good basic recipe. I used it for whole chicken legs (thighs plus drumstick) and it worked fine. Be patient with the searing step - I stopped it slightly too early and could have gotten crispier skin. Also agree with the other commenters that a Dutch oven is perfect for this to prevent spattering.

soapnanaChicago06/17/18

I made this chicken once in my friends kitchen, no problems. In my kitchen... man it looks like fog in there from all the smoke. Why is this! Used the exact same skillet and same breasts.

AnonymousPasadena05/09/18

Have made this countless times and it is nearly fool proof. Just be sure to pay close attention while it is on the stove so that it does not burn. Perhaps it's just my oven, but I have found better results by allowing only 8 minutes skin-side down in the oven, then flipping it over for 10 minutes. I have not noticed much splattering, as many others seem to experience.

Gary MurphySan Francisco01/08/18

Bust this out using a Dutch oven. Helps with sticking and the oven splatter with the deeper vessel. Don't need the lid really unless you demand your oven remain pristine!
Also: try hitting the skin w/ white pepper & paprika along w/ S&P.

justinlbakerVancouver12/21/17

I make this recipe like once a week. It's a staple at my house. To handle the splattering I put the lid on the pan when I put it into the oven. It's hard on the cookware but it's easy on the oven :)

vvondersaarSt. Louis12/01/17

Caveat on splattering — I put my metal colander over the iron skillet whenever I transfer it to the oven. It is a simple trick and saves me a lot of hassle.
(Sorry, couldn't figure out how to edit my previous comment.)

Mary MartinVirginia11/10/17

We have been blessed with a Wegmans within 30 minutes this past year. I LOVE their basting oil. It is organic sunflower oil and herbs and garlic. That's it. I used that for this recipe and it was wonderful! I roasted broccoli and baby tomatoes in the oven with the same oil and my belly and I are very happy indeed.

Mary MartinVirginia11/10/17

Loved this. Crispy skin, juicy meat. Simple as can be. Chicken, oil, salt, pepper. A real keeper for when we have the chicken thighs, and little else. Keeper.

AnonymousSan Miguel de Allende11/06/17

I have not made this particular recipe yet, but have mastered many chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet and frying pan. To the following comments, try reducing the oven's heat to 400 degrees and degrease the pan before putting it in the oven, saving the fat (it's good stuff). The skin should be golden and crisp from the pan on the stove. Flip the chicken (skin side up) and roast to cook the chicken through. Keep in mind chicken fat will splatter, it just does.

Anonymous11/02/17

Who ever published this recipe, needs to come clean my oven immediately!
There at least, at bare minimum, should have been a warning about the splattering inside the oven.

Anonymous11/01/17

This is the best way to get comfortable cooking chicken thighs. It's foolproof and just... really good.

AnonymousBrooklyn10/31/17

I also had lots of grease splatter and so much smoking that my smoke detector kept going off. I followed the heat instructions. Any suggestions? I’d like to try again as this was good chicken. Also how would I change this recipe for boneless skinless thighs?